Sappi Europe is raising prices 5–7% across its entire woodfree coated (WFC) range, effective Oct. 12 for new orders, citing "continued escalation of costs across the supply chain" — the latest in the wave of European graphic-paper and board hikes (PULPAPERnews)
A fire in a pulp conveyor drew a multi-department response to McKinley Paper & Packaging's Combined Locks, WI mill on Sept. 13 — the mill's second fire this year after a June 2 dryer fire on PM6 spread to the roof (Kaukauna Community News, NBC26)
Forestry & Timber
Metsä Group CEO Jussi Vanhanen warned that poorly targeted implementation of the EU Nature Restoration Regulation could cost Finland €0.5–1.5B a year (€400–900M in direct restoration costs plus €150–500M in lost tax revenue) against a forest sector worth ~€10B/yr, and said forest owners barred from selling timber may be constitutionally entitled to compensation (Yle, PULPAPERnews)
The US Forest Service extended the comment period on its proposed rescission of the 2001 Roadless Rule (45M acres, including 9M+ in the Tongass) by 15 days to Oct. 6; the proposed rule and draft EIS were published Aug. 20 with a 32-day window that conservation groups had asked to stretch to 120 days (Federal Register, KRBD)
Brink Forest Products has laid off all but one employee at its Pleasant Valley Remanufacturing finger-joint plant in Houston, BC (20 workers this spring, down to 12, now just the manager), blaming 50% US tariffs/duties and a lack of wood supply in northern BC; its Vanderhoof plant is closed and Prince George is running at ~25% (The Northern View)
Wood Pellets
An AP investigation ties Japan's biomass boom to Indonesian deforestation: Japan imported a record 8.64M t of wood pellets in 2025 (+35%), Indonesian pellet exports to Japan jumped more than 500% to 402,310 t (from 66,460 t in 2023), and at least 45 biomass concessions cover 750,000+ ha of natural forest; Japan has ended FIT support for new large-scale biomass but existing projects keep subsidies for up to 20 years (AP via News4Jax)
Industry Technology Vendors
Valmet — Will deliver modernization services for the recovery boiler (pressure parts, safety-system upgrades, Smelt-X equipment) and evaporation plant (tank-head and flash-tank replacements) at Södra's 750,000 tpy Mönsterås pulp mill during the November 2026 annual shutdown (Valmet)
